Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award (now Vermont Golden Dome Book Award)

どろしー・きゃんふぃーるど・ふぃっしゃーじどうしょしょう（げん：ばーもんとごーるでんどーむとしょしょう）

Children's book award selected by votes from schoolchildren in Vermont. Established in 1957. Renamed to "Vermont Golden Dome Book Award" in 2020.

Children's literatureMiddle-gradeChildren's choice awardStatewide (Vermont) book award

Established: 1957
Organizer: Vermont State PTA and Vermont Department of Libraries
Category: Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books
Selection Method: Vote
Target: Open
Frequency: 1 per year
Application Deadline: around April
Announcement Period: around May
Status: Active

Description

Children's book award established in 1957 and originally named after Dorothy Canfield Fisher. An adult committee selects a master list (30 books) from works published the previous year each spring, and Vermont children vote after reading a certain number to choose the best children's book of the year. Co-sponsored by Vermont State PTA and Vermont Department of Libraries. There was a name change process in 2019–2020, and in November 2020, it was officially renamed "Vermont Golden Dome Book Award" by children's vote.

Prize

Main Prize: The author of the winning work is invited to Vermont and provided with opportunities to meet children, give lectures, and interact.

Lectures and visits by winners to schools and libraries
Promotion and increased awareness through libraries and schools

Selection

Selection Process

Stage	Judges	Pass Rate	Announcement
Master list selection	8-member adult committee (selection committee)	Master list selects 30 books from those published the previous year (narrowed down by selection criteria)	Announced at Dorothy Canfield Fisher Conference in May each year
Reading period (participation / qualification)	Children from elementary and middle schools in Vermont (those who wish to participate)	Voting eligibility: Those who have read or listened to at least 5 out of 30 books	Master list is made available in state schools and public libraries, with reading recommended for 11 months
Voting	Voting by qualified children	Voting deadline is mid-April each year (voting by majority of children)	After tallying, the winning work is announced at the end of the school year (usually late June)
Winner's invitation and lectures	Conducted by organizers (Libraries Department and PTA) in coordination with schools	Not applicable	Winner is invited to visit Vermont and interact with children

Master list selection

Judges 8-member adult committee (selection committee)

Pass Rate Master list selects 30 books from those published the previous year (narrowed down by selection criteria)

Announcement Announced at Dorothy Canfield Fisher Conference in May each year

Reading period (participation / qualification)

Judges Children from elementary and middle schools in Vermont (those who wish to participate)

Pass Rate Voting eligibility: Those who have read or listened to at least 5 out of 30 books

Announcement Master list is made available in state schools and public libraries, with reading recommended for 11 months

Voting

Judges Voting by qualified children

Pass Rate Voting deadline is mid-April each year (voting by majority of children)

Announcement After tallying, the winning work is announced at the end of the school year (usually late June)

Winner's invitation and lectures

Judges Conducted by organizers (Libraries Department and PTA) in coordination with schools

Pass Rate Not applicable

Announcement Winner is invited to visit Vermont and interact with children

Criteria

Must be published in the previous year to be on the master list (first published during the previous calendar year)
Content and appeal that resonates with children (target grades)
Quality of writing, narrative quality, and appeal of characters
Gathering the most support in voting by children

Application Tips

Dos

Clearly target the age group (middle-grade, etc.) and emphasize narrative style and characters acceptable to children.
Collaborate with schools and public libraries in the state to plan reading promotion and events, connecting to children's reading and voting.
Pay attention to publication schedule (award year may differ from publication year due to selection and voting timeline; plan promotion for the target year).
Send sample books to librarians and school librarians, etc., to gain recognition as candidates for the master list.

Don''ts

Emphasizing adult themes or expressions unsuitable for the target age group.
Engaging in fraudulent voting schemes relying on readers who do not meet voting qualifications.
Relying solely on independent promotion while ignoring local educators and libraries (local collaboration is key).

From Judges

Works that are easy for children to read and allow identification with characters tend to gain strong support.
Emphasis on originality, clarity of prose, and narrative momentum.
Providing reading opportunities through libraries and teachers leads to children's completion and voting.